2004 Lincoln Navigator
Safety record from NHTSA: recalls, owner complaints, investigations and service bulletins.
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Vehicles › Lincoln › Navigator › 2004
These records cover every 2004 Lincoln Navigator. To see whether one car still needs a recall repair, decode its VIN or check it with NHTSA.
Owner complaints
86 complaints4 involved a crash2 involved a fire7 injuries1 deaths
What owners report most
Latest complaints
- Visibility/wiper
Rear window exploded shattering the glass completely. Occurred once the engine was off while parked.
- Electrical system · Exterior lighting · Visibility/wiper
[Xxx]. Air suspension air track radiation electrician and air conditioner went out. information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(B)(6). *tr
- Air bags · Exterior lighting · Visibility/wiper
Airbags for now completely so does the air compressor cars without airbags went out brakes went out radiator went out completely the car IS falling apart
- Vehicle speed control
The vehicle engaged in involuntary acceleration (in reverse) from stationary position right after shifting gears from parking 'p' to reverse 'r' and disengaging the parking brake. The brakes were being applied during this gear change. The car started moving in reverse as soon as the driver let off…
The vehicle engaged in involuntary acceleration (in reverse) from stationary position right after shifting gears from parking 'p' to reverse 'r' and disengaging the parking brake. The brakes were being applied during this gear change. The car started moving in reverse as soon as the driver let off the brakes. The driver then reapplied the brakes but the vehicle accelerated instead of breaking. More pressure was applied to the brakes but that increased the speed instead of reducing it. The vehicle accelerated from 0 mph to approximately 50 mph and traveled about 100 feet in reverse. The driver was maneuvering the vehicle with the steering wheel while simultaneously applying pressure to the breaks. The driver managed to steer the vehicle up a small grassy hill of about 15 degrees in slope until the vehicle hit a residential concrete wall with the back of the vehicle. At the moment of impact, the vehicle bounced back and the acceleration disappeared with the engine still on. The vehicle then slowly rolled down the hill until it hit a parked car. At that moment, the car stopped and remained stationary. The engine was then turned off. The impact caused damage to the back of the vehicle and to the residential concrete wall. The driver's seat was also damaged. It became loose with the impact and was ejected backwards towards the back seat with the driver still on it. There were no physical injuries to the occupants other than whiplash. A firmware defect of the electronic throttle system IS suspected.
- Suspension
TL* the contact owns a 2004 lincoln navigator. The contact stated that the rear air suspension had failed causing the rear end to bounce up and down and while driving a clanking noise was present coming from the front driver side wheel. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who diagnosed…
TL* the contact owns a 2004 lincoln navigator. The contact stated that the rear air suspension had failed causing the rear end to bounce up and down and while driving a clanking noise was present coming from the front driver side wheel. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the front suspension arm was needed to be replaced and the rear suspension air bags needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but no assistance was offered. The local dealer was not notified. The failure mileage was 150,000.
- Seat belts · Seats
Sit ripet
- Seats · Service brakes · Wheels
Tires kep going cuz of the alll because this IS benching IS out in the back and tires keep going
- Air bags · Steering · Wheels
The back air bags are not even 3 months I pit in the front.
- Suspension · Unknown or other
I let my driver glass up in down my glass have cracked badly something gone on
- Suspension
Air suspension will not pump up, ripped off oil filter car bottoms out and vehicles lose control
- Power train › Axle assembly · Steering · Traction control system
TL* the contact owns a 2004 lincoln navigator. While driving 70 mph, extra force was required to turn the steering wheel right and left, and the traction control warning indicator illuminated. The vehicle was taken to brill's auto sales (388 southampton rd, westfield, ma 01085, (413) 568-9487)…
TL* the contact owns a 2004 lincoln navigator. While driving 70 mph, extra force was required to turn the steering wheel right and left, and the traction control warning indicator illuminated. The vehicle was taken to brill's auto sales (388 southampton rd, westfield, ma 01085, (413) 568-9487) where it was diagnosed that the steering shaft and drive axle needed to be replaced. The contact mentioned that he repaired the 4 wheel drive actuator himself. The vehicle was not completely repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and informed the contact that the vehicle was not included in a recall. The failure mileage was 163,000.
- Fuel/propulsion system
TL* the contact owns a 2004 lincoln navigator. While the vehicle was stationary, strong fumes entered into the cabin of the vehicle. In addition, fuel leaked onto the ground when the fuel tank was being filled. Sanderson ford in glendale, arizona was made aware of the failure and stated that the…
TL* the contact owns a 2004 lincoln navigator. While the vehicle was stationary, strong fumes entered into the cabin of the vehicle. In addition, fuel leaked onto the ground when the fuel tank was being filled. Sanderson ford in glendale, arizona was made aware of the failure and stated that the plastic piece that the filler hose was connected to had fractured. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 112,000.
- Seats
On 12-3-17 grant county sheriff's department officers responded to a call in swayzee, in reference an unresponsive toddler. A 20 month old who had fallen asleep in the third row of a 2004 lincoln navigator. The parents had gone to sweetser to help a relative move. Upon arriving at sweetser, the…
On 12-3-17 grant county sheriff's department officers responded to a call in swayzee, in reference an unresponsive toddler. A 20 month old who had fallen asleep in the third row of a 2004 lincoln navigator. The parents had gone to sweetser to help a relative move. Upon arriving at sweetser, the mother told the father she was taking "the baby" out to change her diaper. The father took that to mean their 20 month old; however the mother meant the 8 month old that she was babysitting. The father did not know his 20 month old had fallen asleep in the third row seat. He loaded items in a trailer and had three other items to fit. He pushed the buttons located in the back of the vehicle to fold down the automatic third row seats. The seats folded completely down and he loaded the items in the vehicle. They drove to swayzee where they realized their 20 month old was not around. The mother remembered her being in the third row seat. The father removed the items and raised the seats where he located the 20 month old unresponsive. Autopsy showed she died of suffocation due to compression on the chest. Reenactments were videotaped and photographed using a cpr doll 2 inches shorter than the 20 month old, the seats folded down flat all three times these were conducted. Our concern with the vehicle IS the fact there was no sensors that kept the seats from completely folding with the child on the seat.
- Suspension
Air suspension will not inflate on time when driving away. front air. Bag suspension deflates completely every time vehicle IS turned off. I now have to buy my front wheel well covers due to this problem....car was in motion when this happened on a city street.
- Electrical system · Engine · Service brakes
Duck this this IS suppose to be a luxury SUV for my and my 4 children. I shouldn't have these many problems considering the price I paid hello..... My dad IS a mechanic for toyota and now I understand why he only buys toyotas to.
- Suspension
TL* the contact owns a 2004 lincoln navigator. While driving 25 mph, the vehicle began to vibrate and jiggle severely. The contact mentioned that the front of the vehicle was lower than necessary. The vehicle taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the suspension failed and…
TL* the contact owns a 2004 lincoln navigator. While driving 25 mph, the vehicle began to vibrate and jiggle severely. The contact mentioned that the front of the vehicle was lower than necessary. The vehicle taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the suspension failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was aware of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.
- Suspension
Car only has 120,000 and started to bounce, and lower during driving. Got diagnosed, with detached air linkage which were the front, paid $430, 2 months after the moter stopped completely, replaced motor, nearly$600, installed and didn't work, relay was the other problem, changed relay, worked for…
Car only has 120,000 and started to bounce, and lower during driving. Got diagnosed, with detached air linkage which were the front, paid $430, 2 months after the moter stopped completely, replaced motor, nearly$600, installed and didn't work, relay was the other problem, changed relay, worked for a week, and stopped comletely! Bought another one, tried to install it but IS not working, another $100 down the drain! My only option IS coil spring converstion, to stop with all the electrical problems! Lincoln should take more consideration in suspension, to make the car safe and driveable!
- Air bags
Vehicle was parked in a parking lot, driver was texting. Steering wheel airbag deployed for no reason. No bumps, no accidents. Upon changing airbag, found steering wheel airbag wiring had chafed against the horn mount ring, and grounded out, causing the deployment.
- Air bags
I was driving down a county road when the side airbags deployed with no collision or fast braking. I was approaching a stop sign and was coasting and had not applied the brakes when it occurred.
- Suspension
My 2004 lincoln navigator dropped down on the drivers side front. I took it to a mecanic and he said it was the height sensor in the meanwhile while they ordered the part and a week later it got to the shop I drove it and of course with all the bumping around the front passenger side dropped now…
My 2004 lincoln navigator dropped down on the drivers side front. I took it to a mecanic and he said it was the height sensor in the meanwhile while they ordered the part and a week later it got to the shop I drove it and of course with all the bumping around the front passenger side dropped now the lincoln really bounces I took it to the shop to get the sensor installed went back to pick it they tell me that wasnt the problem now my pump dont work and my front end IS really low. Now im stuck with no suspension and something more than likely IS going to happen either a blown tire because of the rubbing on the tire wall or a car accident. This IS my daily driver back and forth to work I also am afraid to take my three children anywhere because of this. Im and employee of gm someone needs to do a recall this IS a safety issue to the driver and other drivers as well.
- Structure › Body
Ford has failed to install insulation on the underside of the lincoln navigator hood therefore the heat has caused the hood paint and clear coat to bubble and peel. my hood has as many spots on it as a hormonal teenage boy has on his face. this issue has caused injury to the value of my car and…
Ford has failed to install insulation on the underside of the lincoln navigator hood therefore the heat has caused the hood paint and clear coat to bubble and peel. my hood has as many spots on it as a hormonal teenage boy has on his face. this issue has caused injury to the value of my car and my pride in owning this vehicle. many lawsuits have been filed and successfully won through several states, a nationwide recall needs to happen for this issue. *tr
- Air bags · Suspension
I have a 2004 lincoln navigator and when it gets too cold the airbags have busted on me and the compressor. I have owned this vehicle for 2 years and 2 years in a row each winter my suspension has failed. My wheels are riding right under my tire wall and it IS going to cause me to have an accident…
I have a 2004 lincoln navigator and when it gets too cold the airbags have busted on me and the compressor. I have owned this vehicle for 2 years and 2 years in a row each winter my suspension has failed. My wheels are riding right under my tire wall and it IS going to cause me to have an accident or cause further damage. At $1000 to fix these they should last longer than 1 year. Please look into this and recall our vehicles, the air suspension IS supposed to provide a smoother ride not a rough winter. *tr
- Engine and engine cooling
For the past 6-8 months my vehicle has sporadically stalled/stopped for no apparent reason. When it stops like this it can occur on the highway or surface streets without notice. I have taken it to the lincoln dealer two times with the last time being told it was a transmission problem, which I was…
For the past 6-8 months my vehicle has sporadically stalled/stopped for no apparent reason. When it stops like this it can occur on the highway or surface streets without notice. I have taken it to the lincoln dealer two times with the last time being told it was a transmission problem, which I was skeptical, because of no previous problems. I have requested assistance from ford motor who essentially dismissed without any liability due to the car being out of warranty. I am requesting your assistance before there IS any injury, accident or fatality. I have the e-mail correspondence with ford. *tr
- Suspension
Jan 2012 air suspension light came on after being in below 30 degrees on a trip. Car was bouncing and could not control it properly. Replaced air shock on rear. Nov 2013 - same temps and same light and control problem. After the car reached a warmer temp.(south for 3 hours) it no longer bounced…
Jan 2012 air suspension light came on after being in below 30 degrees on a trip. Car was bouncing and could not control it properly. Replaced air shock on rear. Nov 2013 - same temps and same light and control problem. After the car reached a warmer temp.(south for 3 hours) it no longer bounced and was back to normal. Service shop could not find a problem. Dec 2013 another trip up north and same thing.and same service find. Nothing. Jan 2014 in a warmer temp. Light came on and bounce came back. Service shop said it looks like the compressor IS going bad. This problem seems to me IS a safety problem and should be recalled and repaired by ford (lincoln). It IS dangerous and certainly makes the car uncontrollable. *tr
- Suspension
When temperatures drop near or below freezing, the air suspension springs stop functioning at all. The valve that holds the air in the air bags gets frost on it and can't close anymore. This causes the suspension to ride on the rubber stops. The tires rub in the fender wells. The vehicle will eventually rub the tire to a tire failure. This will cause the driver to lose control of the vehicle and possibly crash. *tr
Defect investigations
NHTSA’s Office of Defects Investigation opened these reviews into vehicles including this one.
- Spark plug ejection from cylinder head
On september 6, 2005, odi received a petition requesting that the agency investigate allegations of engine spark plug ejection in certain model year 1997 through 2004 ford vehicles with triton V-8 and V-10 engines.odi received a total of 474 non-duplicative complaints on the subject vehicles where the complainant, or…
On september 6, 2005, odi received a petition requesting that the agency investigate allegations of engine spark plug ejection in certain model year 1997 through 2004 ford vehicles with triton V-8 and V-10 engines.odi received a total of 474 non-duplicative complaints on the subject vehicles where the complainant, or the dealer repairing the vehicle, reported that a spark plug detached from the cylinder and/or ejected from the engine.as of december 8, 2005, odi IS not aware of any allegations where the alleged defect resulted in a loss of vehicle control, a crash, an injury, or a fatality in any of the 10,319,810 subject vehicles.in addition, odi IS aware of only two incidents where the vehicle stalled without restart.information contained in the odi consumer complaints and obtained from 72 telephone interviews with complainants showed the following:(1) 99% of the complaints were on my 1997 to 2002 subject vehicles.(2) most the complainants reported hearing a loud pop while driving or upon starting up the vehicle followed by a loud, repetitive clicking or popping sound.(3) many of the complainants reported that the popping sound was accompanied by some loss of vehicle power; however, in 99% of the incidents reported, the vehicle did not stall.in the very few incidents where the vehicle did stall, most vehicles could be restarted.(4) only a small percentage of the complainants cited that they smelled gas or a slight burning smell when the incident occurred.(5) in all but a very few incidents, vehicle damage was limited to the engine.in one incident, the complaint reported that the fuel rail was damaged and replaced after one of the spark plugs ejected from the engine; however, the complainant reported that the damage did not result in any type of fuel leak or fire.in another incident, the only incident where a fire was alleged, the complainant reported that no fluid leak was observed, but that a fire resulted after the spark plug had ejected from the engine and he had restarted the vehicle and driven to another location.none of the complainants reported any damage to the vehicle hood.(6) only two complainants reported that they observed what appeared to be some drops of fuel coming from the cylinder where the spark plug had failed or on the spark plug itself; however, each of these complainants reported that there was no smoke or flames as a result of his incident.as the petitioner noted, and odi?s analysis showed, it IS possible for a spark plug to detach from the engine cylinder threads in the subject vehicles.however, odi?s analysis of 474 complaints describing such incidents found only a very few alleged any safety-related consequences.none of these showed any evidence of a serious safety consequence.given the large population and relatively long exposure time of the subject vehicles, the complaint analysis indicates that the risk to motor vehicle safety from the alleged defect IS very low.in view of the foregoing, it IS unlikely that nhtsa would issue an order for the notification and remedy of the alleged defect at the conclusion of the investigation requested in the petition.therefore, in view of the need to allocate and prioritize nhtsa?s limited resources to best accomplish the agency?s safety mission, the petition IS denied.
Service bulletins
Technical service bulletins and other communications the manufacturer sent dealers about this vehicle. Ask a dealer for the full document by its number.
- 11005305This article supersedes TSB 22-2219 to update the Parts List and Service Procedure to clarify applicable steps by vehicle application. Some 2003-2020 Expedition/Navigator and 2006-2020 F-150 (non-Raptor) vehicles equipped with 4WD may exhibit grinding/clicking/ratcheting noise from the front wheel area. This may be due to partial engagement of the integrated wheel ends (IWE). To correct this condition, follow the Service Procedure to remove and cap the vacuum supply line or to reprogram the transfer case control module (TCCM) and replace any worn vacuum and/or IWE components.
- 10235153For 2000-2024 Ford and Lincoln vehicles, swapping a module from a vehicle for diagnosis purposes is likely to cause errors and is not recommended. It is also not recommended to order a replacement module using a vehicle identification number (VIN) from a different vehicle. Most modules on these affected vehicles are VIN/vehicle specific and hardware variations between modules do exist. Swapping a module from a vehicle or ordering a module using a different vehicle/VIN can cause ineffective repairs and additional vehicle down time. Make sure all appropriate Workshop Manual (WSM) procedures are followed when diagnosing the condition prior to all module replacements and only order modules using the correct VIN.
- 10214754Some 2003-2020 Expedition/Navigator and 2006-2020 F-150 (non-Raptor) vehicles equipped with 4WD may exhibit grinding/clicking/ratcheting noise from the front wheel area. This may be due to partial engagement of the integrated wheel ends (IWE). To correct this condition, follow the Service Procedure to remove and cap the vacuum supply line or to reprogram the transfer case control module (TCCM) and replace any worn vacuum and/or IWE components.
- 10181917Some 2003-2020 Expedition/Navigator and 2006-2020 F-150 vehicles equipped with TOD transfer cases may exhibit grinding/clicking/ratcheting noise from the front wheel area. This may be due to partial engagement of the integrated wheel ends (IWE). To correct this condition, follow the Service Procedure steps to remove and cap the vacuum supply line.
- 10177863This article supersedes TSB 19-2026 to update the vehicle model years affected. Some 2000 and newer Ford/Lincoln/Mercury vehicles equipped with aluminum body panels may exhibit corrosion concerns appearing as bubbled and/or peeling paint with or without accompanying white dust. Panel replacement is recommended.
- 10156863Some 2000 and newer Ford, Lincoln and Mercury vehicles equipped with aluminum body panels may exhibit corrosion concerns appearing as bubbled and/or peeling paint with or without accompanying white dust. Panel replacement is recommended. Follow the Service Procedure steps to correct the condition
- 10155551Some 2000 and newer Ford, Lincoln and Mercury vehicles equipped with aluminum body panels may exhibit corrosion concerns appearing as bubbled and/or peeling paint with or without accompanying white dust. Panel replacement is recommended. Follow the Service Procedure steps to correct the condition
- 10109070The Powertrain Control/Emissions Diagnosis (PC/ED) manual has been revised for diagnosing electronic throttle bodies (ETBs). The ETC_ACT and ETC_DSD PIDs should not used to diagnose possible ETB concerns. The IDS has a limited refresh rate when reading these PIDs and cannot display quickly enough to validate a concern. The PCM automatically monitors these inputs more accurately and will set diagnostic trouble codes (DTCs) when appropriate. Using these PIDs for diagnostics will lead to inaccurate results and improper ETB replacements. If a concern is intermittent and no DTCs are present, refer to historical DTCs and the PC/ED, Section 3 No DTCs Present Index chart for further information.
- 10028736Ford: some vehicles may exhibit oil separation from the internal lube found in the unitized cartridge seal. Oil separation appears to be and IS often misdiagnosed, as an axle lube leak.
- 10022299Parking aid system IS inoperative - dtc c1983.
- 10021459High intensity discharge (hid) headlamps.
- 10021072Air suspension performance - height sensor linkage arm disengaging.
- 10020702Parking aid system inoperative - dtc c1983.
- 10020133High intensity discharge (hid) - service fix.
- 10020132Brake shudder.
- 10019912Engine misfire with diagnostic trouble code (dtc) pewee, p0302, p0303, p0304, p0305, p0306, p0307, p0308, and p0316.
- 10019415Unintended brake assist.
- 10019384Low tire indicator on - TPMS system sensor wake up.
- 10018968Parking aid system inoperative.
- 10018938Vibration diagnosis - tire/wheel runout.
- 10018745Wds cop kit diagnostic tip - coil on plug (cop) ignition systems - engine misfire or rough running.
- 10018069A tiny crack, or cracks, around the transfer case drain plug hole.
- 10018052Drivers front power seat will not move forward or rearward.
- 10017892Rear axle noise repair.
- 10017888Steering wheel at 65 mph (105 km/h) or higher.
- 10017805Rear window wiper inoperative.
- 10016789Rear axle noise repair.
- 10014676Aluminum alloy wheels pitting and or peeling cleaning procedures.
- 10014668Axle seal leaks.
- 10014659Axle whine howl. This includes 1997-05 ford vehicles.
- 10014654Noise from a/c (air conditioning) or insufficient a/c cooling.
- 10014314Climate controlled seat diagnosis - service tips.
- 10014165Aluminum corrosion - service tip.
- 10014138Safety belt retraction speed.
- 10014100Limited slip axle chatter, shudder, binding sensation, or vibration during low speed turning maneuvers.
- 10014091Deployable running boards (drb) intermittently inoperative.
- 10014088Heater hose leak.
- 10014086General (pcm) power train control module programming procedures.
- 10014062Rear window defroster grid/integral antenna diagnosis and repair - terminal tab repair.
- 10013369General power train control module (pcm) programming procedures.
Every Lincoln Navigator model year
Bars are owner complaints, dots mark years with recalls. Select a year to open its report.